The Legacy Of The Princes
by MaxRide05
Summary: Legacy-Something handed down from an ancestor or from the past. The Legacy of the Princes is one well-known and feared; they are the descendants of Vampires. What happens when a young Severus Snape is finally introduced to his mother's estranged family?
1. Not The Best Home Life

**A/N: Okay so I have started another story but I have MAJOR writer's block on my other 2 fics and I'd quite like to get this fic and any related ones published.**

**WARNING: This fic is rated T for slight language.**

**The Legacy of the Princes**

Severus Snape couldn't say that he had the best life.

With an abusive father, a loving yet quiet mother, and an old tiny house -he wouldn't dare call it a home- with very little hot water to spare and… well let's just say that he could go on and on about his home life but there was definitely one thing that he could say -to anyone- about his home life; it wasn't the best.

_Then again_ he supposed it was better than living on the streets -with nowhere to go, and no one to turn to.

If by some horrifying ordeal his parents lost the house or they died and left him all alone in this world then he assumed that that would be him.

Living in the streets, sleeping in the gutter and forced to beg passersbys for money or a scrap of food.

That was until he met _her_, a fair-skinned, red-haired, emerald-eyed angel.

_Lily._

His first real friend.

Others -_muggles-_ had tried to befriend him before, but only for his knowledge and understanding of Earth Science (it was very closely related to potions after all- and he longed to be a potions master), or what they called Biology.

(Sure, he was young -only seven years of age- but he understood quite a lot of things.)

Back to the point, meeting Lily Evans was the best thing that had ever happened to him. She was kind and accepting and best of all; a witch. Yes, she was muggleborn but he had no prejudices towards muggles (except drunken, bad tempered, shabby, callous, wife-and-children-beating bastards like his _father_) or muggleborn witches or wizards.

After all, his mother raised him to be a -_quote _'respectable member of society -in both worlds- and to judge for himself and not by the words of others. As many do'- _end quote_. (She'd gotten strangely teary-eyed after that and had to excuse herself from the room. Severus never did understand why until a few months later.)

Personally Severus thought she raised him to be the man -well boy really- that his father wasn't, since his father was mostly passed out drunk somewhere in the house -or out of it- or with a hangover and out of his mind -not that he had much of one to start with.

So with that Severus had graciously approached the young muggleborn and told her what she was: a witch (her older thin-faced and skinny sister hadn't taken too kindly to that).

They'd been friends ever since. _Best _friends. He _knew_ she would definitely help him if he ever -Merlin forbid- became homeless.

Nevertheless Lily was the only real friend he had at the tender age of seven.

But unbeknownst to him that was all about to change…

And he would probably wish it never had.

**That was just to set the scene and have a bit of a look into not only Sev's home life but his thoughts, ambitions and prejudices -or lack of- as a mere seven year old. **

**Next chap is up soon. **

**But just as a warning don't expect daily updates or anything coz school is hectic as I'm doing my GSCEs so any fanfic author in the same position as me should now what I'm going on about. **

**I might be able to update this fic once a week I don't really expect this fic 2 b more than 8 chaps but I will base a series of short fics on this one and any characters -oc or canon.**

**Review, plz, even if it's to tell me that this prologue was unnecessary as you already knew all this from DH. But I don't really care what you say, just review! **


	2. Descended From Vampires

**A/N: Here's the next chap like I said. Here I'll be introducing some of a few original characters that are critical to the story line since this fic is **_**somewhat **_**canon yet also an au as well -seeing as we don't know much about Sev's home life (apart from was mentioned in the last chap and DH) or Eileen's family the Princes. And some of J.K's characters' ages have been changed but they're not the main characters. Sorry if it's a bit rushed but it's a filler. A v. important one.**

**Thanks to ****Shadow Priesstes**** for faving the fic and ****dverducci**** and ****MarthaRRLeBlanc**** for the alerts.**

**Anyway, on with the fic.**

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise I don't own. In other words, no I am not JK Rowling.**

It was a dark, starless night just after sunset at Spinner's End where in one particular house a young boy was resting after a particularly vicious beating by the hands of his drunken father.

The unfortunate boy had ill-coloured skin of a translucent tone, tangled, shoulder length ebony hair that was rough to the touch, with a sheen to it that was evidence of his exposure to fumes of some kind and a crooked nose that seemed too large for his thin face.

He lay upon a small wooden bed with only a thin, rough blanket to cover his lanky frame and thin, lumpy mattress.

As a distant clock struck half-past seven, his closed, battered bedroom door creaked softly as it opened and a slender figure in a stormy grey cloak stepped into the room. The cloaked figure held what looked like a thin, ebony stick -a wand. The wand was emitting a dim white glow that cast its surroundings into the same glow.

The cloaked figure was a woman with sickly pale skin, covered in fading bruises, dark, long and limp ebony hair tied back in a messy ponytail, and the most intense, yet dull, dark eyes of a deep amethyst -that was often mistaken for obsidian.

She walked -with a slight limp- silently to the middle of the small room, her gaze never wavering from the sleeping boy mere feet away.

Her lips pursed as she took in his rumpled appearance and just as she was about to walk towards his bed, the boy's eyes -identical to her own- shot open and after a moment he smiled grimly at the woman who smiled at him in return.

"Mother," He whispered just as the woman murmured, "Severus."

The woman -Eileen- crouched by the side of his bed, placed a cool hand to his sweaty head, and then brushed his damp, ebony hair out of his no-longer-sleepy eyes.

Severus smiled at the caring gesture before he noticed her attire.

He raised an eyebrow. "Going somewhere?" He questioned in a smooth yet tense voice.

"Yes," Eileen nodded, not failing to notice the calculating edge in her son's eyes, "_We_ are."

Severus lifted himself onto his elbows, winced slightly and stared at his mother in concealed excitement.

"Are we... are we leaving this … place?"

_And that man, _Severus scowled slightly.

"No, I am sorry but…" Eileen drew in a deep breath, "… that can be explained when you are old enough to understand, Severus. But for now… well there's someone I'd like you to meet … again." A tinge of emotion in his mother's eyes caused Severus to frown slightly before composing his face into a cool, blank mask as he sifted through his jumbled thoughts.

_Maybe it's family. _

_Mother's never _really mentioned_ her family, though I know that one of her sisters died two months ago, and that a cousin of hers, who she was very close to, was murdered by that dark lord, Voldemort._

Severus cringed; it pained him to know that if his mother and her cousin were as close as she said they were, then if aforementioned cousin had never been murdered, their life could have been so very different.

He doubted they would have stayed with Tobias for long as they did, for one thing.

Nevertheless, he shot up out of bed, stumbling slightly as his legs nearly gave way. He opened his mouth to ask a question but received a mouthful of a sweet flavoured potion for his troubles. Severus blinked in surprise but at the stern look that his mother was giving him -which wasn't quite effective on her kind yet thin face, he swallowed. The sweet, lumpy liquid slithered down his throat.

Instantly he started to feel energised and found that his limbs didn't ache anymore. He smiled gratefully at his mother who nodded in return while tucking a vial of brown coloured potion and a small silver spoon into one of her cloak's large pockets.

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Severus quickly threw on his own long black cloak over his large grey shirt and black trousers then turned to rummage under the bed for his battered, worn trainers.

Eileen watched her son with a slight smirk, "You're certainly eager aren't you?"

Severus nodded. He hoped they were visiting family… those that would accept him -a half-blood- at least. If there were any that would accept him, that is.

The only things that his mother _had_ told him about her family were: that she had been disowned for marrying his father, a muggle -a ghastly one in Severus' opinion- their last name and Eileen's maiden name; Prince, and that they were French.

French royalty was a _possibility_ from what he'd read about them, though those some of those books were quite old and outdated; they belonged to his mother.

He'd also read a few books actually written by some members of his mother's family; sadly those didn't have any information on the Princes themselves either considering they weren't even biographies of some sort, just books on various subjects ranging from the Dark Arts to Astronomy.

Severus sat on his bed to put on his trainers and then he picked up the laces to tie them when his mother said, "Let me."

Eileen crouched by Severus' trainer clad feet, aimed her wand tip on them, moved the tip of her wand in fluid, minuscule motions and spoke softly in a language that Severus knew to be French, not Latin. The laces levitated slightly and twisted themselves into neat, small loops.

He understood French; it could qualify as his second language, _but _he didn't speak it very often if at all, though it soothed him immensely when his mother sang or read to him in French.

Eileen finished by tapping each foot twice and muttering, "Silencio."

At Severus' confused look she smiled, "So that no one can hear our footsteps _even_ if we step on an autumn leaf that has fallen from a tree."

"Oh." He didn't think that spell could be used like that; how resourceful. He had assumed it'd just be used as a domestic spell and as part of a warding spell to make sure no one eavesdropped on private conversations.

"That's one of the uses that my… family and others have found for that spell that aren't in _many_ spell books, Severus." He understood the message she was telling him; read between the lines, books don't say it all.

Eileen straightened and beckoned her son out of his room and locked the door with a flick of her wand, before walking -with less of a limp- towards one of the doors behind which lay her unconscious husband who had decided to _grace _his family with his presence earlier that night before passing out drunk -as per usual- on his bed.

As Eileen checked to see that he was indeed unconscious, she cast a low level sleeping charm on the drunk to ensure that he wouldn't awake until sunrise at the very least.

"Is it your family that we're going to visit, mother?" Severus asked softly, barely able to contain his anticipation as the two made their way down the crickety stairs avoiding the ones that creaked out of habit.

Eileen nodded as the front door unlocked with a wave of her wand. She stepped lightly over the threshold and put her hood up, beckoning Severus to do the same before she locked the door behind her.

The two set out into the night, Eileen with a hand on Severus' shoulder and making sure to hide their presence to others that might lurk in the night by never straying from the shadows and Severus gazing into the night sky admiring the few stars that could be seen above the dim orange light that muggles called streetlamps.

"Mother," Severus whispered softly as they turned left into an alleyway, "What was your cousin's name? The one who died?" The bluntness of Severus' questions was softened by his slightly sad tone.

"You'll see." Eileen scanned the entrance of the alley from beneath her hood, after checking the alley itself, for any signs of human life. She then placed her wand safely inside her cloak.

Severus' brow furrowed, where was she taking him? She wouldn't take him to her ancestral home…or manor…or palace… whichever one it was. They wouldn't be welcome there; the blood traitor and her half-blood child. Maybe a wizard library to see her family tree in one of the books there? After all he'd read in a book once that many prominent pureblood families had tapestries either in their ancestral home and/or in a constantly-updated detailed book about their families' history.

Since he knew they wouldn't set foot in the Prince's ancestral home, he'd wondered if there was such a book that his mother would have a copy of. She said she didn't have a copy but she'd tell him when he was older. That was six months ago.

So here he was, gazing up at his mother whose brow was furrowed in concentration. Her hand had tightened on his shoulder, "Take a deep breath, Severus."

He obeyed and when he exhaled Eileen turned sharply on the spot. There was a crack that sounded alarmingly like a gun shot and Severus had a slightly familiar, yet unwelcome feeling of being forced into a tight spot. Colours whirled in front of his eyes that were so bright he had to shut them. It was extremely uncomfortable especially since he could not feel any thing except for his mothers' hand on his shoulder and her presence next to him. Then his feet slammed into a soft surface that he could feel through the thin soles of his trainers; grass.

His eyes opened and he saw his mother looking around at their dark surroundings with recognition.

Apparation.

He hated it. "A warning would be nice next time, mother."

Eileen smiled slightly, "Well, I did tell you to take a deep breath. After all we can't forget what happened last time. Can we Severus?"

As he gazed into the darkness he scowled at the memory of his first apparation.

_He was six years old and his mother had just apparated them to an alley near The Leaky Cauldron to buy some potions ingredients in Diagon Alley. (How she got the money for potion ingredients he did not know. It might have had something to do with that mysterious cousin of hers for all he knew.)_

_Even though his mother had explained apparition to him he was still unprepared for that feeling that came over him. And so he'd vomited his breakfast -or lack of- into a nearby dustbin. Rather embarrassing if you asked him. He just counted himself lucky that only his mother had been present._

As Eileen walked forward into the ominous looking darkness, Severus swore he could see shapes moving ahead of them. Regardless, he followed her, his anticipation nearly reaching its breaking point. Even as he could see shapes just ahead of them he kept a brave face, he glanced at his mother and saw no fear or trepidation -only the same recognition as before.

They stopped at a tall gate with high brick walls running alongside it -Severus wondered what lay behind those walls and shivered, he could feel death in the cool, night air if that was possible- but they weren't alone. Eileen lowered her hood when she saw them and following her example so did Severus.

Two tall, yet bulky hooded men stood at the gate in the same grey cloaks as Eileen wore. Their hoods shielded their faces and Severus didn't know whether he was glad he couldn't see their faces or not. Regardless of that, they still had a menacing presence about them and they hadn't even said a word. Or unsheathed any weapons.

"Ah, Eileen," The one on the left drawled in a silky voice. He must have been hearing things but Severus swore he heard fierce whispers coming from behind those walls, "Long time no see."

Even though Severus couldn't see his face he was sure the man was smirking, or maybe sneering, he wasn't sure.

Eileen nodded, and whispered a greeting in French that sounded like, "You too Curly hair."

Severus stifled a smirk, he just knew that no sane person would name their child 'Curly hair'.

Without warning the second man snarled, a viscous sound that ripped through the night air like a steak knife through a thick slab of meat. His snarl seemed to echo and ripple throughout the darkness surrounding Severus, who saw red. He almost snarled back at the man and started into a crouch as an almost animalistic urge over took him to protect his mother. To fight.

But before he could so much as bare his teeth at the man -yet another urge- his mother stepped forward, shielding him slightly from the man's reach. Severus tilted his head to frown up at her but gaped at the sight before him.

Eileen's face was a mask of cold rage; one that Severus had _never_ seen before. Her dark hair, released from the band that had held it, fluttered in an ethereal wind, her mouth was set in a hard line, her narrow eyes were darker then he'd ever seen them, they were the colour of the thick darkness around them and then the strangest thing happened. Her eyes shone a bright, burning amethyst that seemed to repel the darkness -or maybe it was just her magic flaring in her anger or the ethereal wind (that had ceased to a mere breeze), none of them knew.

Then as Eileen took a deep breath and her burning eyes flickered back to their dark shade, the first man whistled and said to the second man, "Brother, let that be a lesson to you. Never anger a Prince."

Oddly enough the only thing Severus could think after that was; the _seemingly _echoing snarls had stopped. (He wondered if there were people behind those walls. But apart from that second man, he didn't know any _people_ that snarled. And this is the conclusion his mind thought of; maybe they're _not_ human. Those thoughts sent shivers down his spine.)

In the mess of confusion that was Severus Snape's mind, he saw 'Curly hair' pass a thin, sharp object to his mother, "You know the drill. Even after that…" 'Curly hair' paused in thought, "…_little_ display we can't take any chances." His mother nodded and curious, Severus leaned forward to see what she was doing. Eileen pricked her forefinger with the object until she drew dark -almost murky- crimson blood, then she squeezed the barely visible wound onto the ground and as the blood soaked the ground, mist rose up and took the form of a Raven. It stretched its hazy wings and flew up towards Severus and circled his head.

Severus watched the bird fly in concealed awe.

The mark of the Princes; a grey Raven, he'd read about that in a few books. It was like the snake and skull mark of the Deatheaters except… it was spectacular, even in its vapourish form.

Before Severus could even blink, Eileen had grabbed his hand and pricked his finger; he hissed slightly at the small sting as she apologised. But before he knew it, a smaller infant Raven had rose from the ground where his crimson blood had fallen.

'Curly hair' nodded and stepped aside to allow them entrance to the mysterious haven. They had passed whatever test he had set them apparently. A blood test, most likely.

As they stepped through the open gates -Severus resisting the urge to glare at 'Curly hair's brother- Eileen gripped his shoulder in a protective manner. A shiver crawled down Severus' spine even though there was no night-time breeze.

His eyes combed through the darkness; he could vaguely see faint figures moving in different directions, some going back down the path that he and his mother had taken and others moving towards them…

Severus tugged on his mother's sleeve, she put her finger on her mouth and stopped walking, stopping Severus with her.

A young man with short ebony hair, alabaster skin, high cheekbones and blank eyes darker than the unnatural darkness around them glided out in front of them, blocking their path. Severus got the feeling that he wasn't entirely human, if at all.

"Ah, Eileen," He sneered in a voice like smooth silk similar to 'Curly hair's, "You have returned."

Eileen held eye contact with the man for a second then bowed her head in respect, "Indeed I have uncle."

Severus' eyes narrowed; the only outward sign of his confusion. That man was much too young looking to be his mother's uncle.

Unless…

He _wasn't _human…

The man's dark eyes lingered on Severus' form, then he spoke, "And you brought young…Severus is it?"

Severus nodded and glanced up at his mother. After a few seconds she spoke, "If you'll excuse us uncle we were going to visit Alexander."

Severus watched as the man's thin, pale lips pursed, then he nodded before disappearing into the darkness.

Severus' confusion grew as they continued down the murky path, cloaks billowing behind them, passing gravestones and supernatural beings alike -Eileen had actually curtsied at a man with startlingly pale, alabaster skin, striking features and dark, fierce eyes, when he'd stopped them. Severus had followed her example and bowed as she addressed the man as 'Grandfather'. After running into countless amounts of relatives, Severus had no doubt that they weren't fully human.

In fact he was quite sure he knew what they were; Vampires. Surprisingly it hadn't even come as much of a shock learning that he was descended from vampires. As if he wasn't enough of a freak with his mismatched features; his hideous father's equally hideous large and crooked nose and thin lips with his mother's striking, elegant high cheekbones, porcelain pale skin -that had taken a sickly, unhealthy shade since his birth- ebony hair -that had turned limp and _looked _greasy- and dark, intense eyes. He was an odd sight indeed; it certainly didn't help that he was immensely malnourished and had a lanky build.

So after that revelation, they finally stopped at a gravestone that was marked _'Alexander Prince'_ with few personal descriptions beneath it. The ground around the stone was covered with fresh, scented flowers as were the four graves bedside it.

After a minute Eileen spoke, "Severus, here lie your uncle Alexander; a brave yet cunning man, your aunt Aaricia; someone I knew quite well yet not well enough when she was alive and your three cousins Leon, Logan and Lunette; who all died so young it just…it,"

Severus averted his gaze from the five gravestones and looked at his mother who had silent tears running down her pale cheeks. He grabbed her hand and rubbed it soothingly trying to calm her as she had done to him for so many years.

Eileen sniffed and gave him a watery smile, "I miss them a lot Severus, really I do. He was one of my few dearest friends and she was the best confidant this side of Europe…for a Malfoy."

At Severus' confused look she directed him towards a wooden bench a little ways off the path, into the darkness and as they sat she began a tale of jealousy, fear, betrayal, bloodshed and most of all forbidden love; the history of the Prince's.

In a nutshell, centuries ago the Most Noble and Ancient house of Black declared war on the Most Noble and Ancient _Court _of Prince -wizarding French royalty, ruling alongside the Delacour's- and according to some sources it had stemmed from jealousy and fear. The Black's were jealous of the Prince's, after all they were more elegant, royal, wealthy and had more influence along with a higher status than the Black's and even the Malfoy's. They were also distant heirs to the Ravenclaw line, as the Black's were for Slytherin. So the Black's did the only thing they could; they disgraced the Court of Prince by setting Vampires on them. They hoped that that would dishonour their rivals and any half-breed heirs they might conceive.

Their plan worked but not entirely in a way that they'd hoped.

Yes, the Prince's were shamed -and Creatures of the Night with half-breed descendants (if they ever decided to bear children which they did) - but not by all.

In the eyes of powerful and influential British/European wizarding families the Black's were scandals and cheats, only few stood with them -the Malfoy, Rosier, LeStrange, Avery, Gaunt and Dolovin families - while most stood against them -most grey families and some dark and light but not all the light families took sides, most were neutral -they refused to side with either the Black's or the Princes as both were dark families in their eyes. (Though truth be told, the Prince's practised all kinds of sorcery, not just dark.)

In all that fighting the Black's strongest allies were the Rosier's, enemies of one of the Prince's strongest allies; the MacDougal's -the closest wizarding family to Scottish royalty and direct heirs to the Ravenclaw line, though their Mark was one of an Eagle (a Navy Eagle to be precise) not a Raven as their ancestor's surname suggested.

In the more recent 20th centaury the feud continued, though there was less bloodshed and war and more cunning, sly tactics. A big problem between the two families was the matter of forbidden love -wanting what they couldn't have.

More recent matters were that of Alexander Prince and Aaricia Malfoy; a tragic tale which ended in death.

"He met her when he was young, foolish and… just a boy, not even a man yet. It was hardly love at first sight but it was there; that spark. They were curious of each other," His mother had told him, smiling in remembrance, "They told me…separately of course. As soon as they were both of age, he proposed, she accepted and the rest, as they say, is history." She'd sighed sadly; mist visible in the cool night air.

"Four and a half years later -when Logan and Lunette, twins, were just six months old- Voldemort killed them." There had been a bitter edge to her tone and he'd winced in empathy. If that had been Lily -his first friend, the first friend to ever accept him, not want him to change who he was- he didn't know what he would have done.

Lived in grief for the rest of his sorry life probably. Not that he could even compare his and Lily's new friendship to his mother and Alexander's years-old friendship -they were family as well, so that was different among other things.

"There were six of us, at least the family members that I spent most time with apart from my parents and Uncle. I, was the oldest so I had more responsibility and expectation from my family. Then Alexander and Jacqueline; his younger twin sister, both just a few months younger than me, yet Jacqueline seemed much older and she despised being told what to do, especially by me,

"Then, my two younger sisters Bridget and Yvette; so much like twin sisters -in appearances as well as their personalities- yet born a year apart." She'd smiled sadly, "And last but not least, the baby of the 'group' -oh how he loathed that title," She'd smiled slightly but her brow had furrowed, almost in confusion yet there had been a lost sort of look in her eyes, as she gazed into the darkness, into the distance, "My cousin, Alex and Jacqueline's younger brother; Lucas."

"We'd all been quite close, though Jacqueline loathed me," Severus supposed she would of seeing as his mother was even closer to her twin brother than she herself was, "And Bridget and Yvette often went off together…"

And so she indulged Severus with numerous tales of her childhood; a slightly happier time. She told him of her lone adventures at Hogwarts as her two sisters and Jacqueline went to Beaubatons and Alexander and Lucas to Durmstrang; all fine schools in their own way yet she told him of constantly being watched by many Slytherins -mostly Black's- and thanking Merlin that she was a Ravenclaw. She told him of her unlikely alliance with Alphard Black; a slightly older fellow Ravenclaw -surprisingly- but also a young, troubled teenager who didn't always agree with his family.

She told him of Lucas leaving for a 'holiday' one day before she'd been disowned and never returning -though he was alive, she was sure of that, somehow. She had wondered if he'd fallen in love with someone her family disagreed with (that seemed to happen a lot -first Lucas, then her and then Alexander) -a Black perhaps.

She told him of Jacqueline's marriage to a MacDougal -a well known union of two wealthy, royal families- and their two children; Alexander and Eleanor.

She told him of Bridget's marriage to a Harper -not a very powerful pureblood family but that didn't matter to either of them (because if it did that would be rather hypocritical)- and their daughter, Alice. Sadly, Bridget's husband had died when Alice was three, leaving her a young widow of twenty-five.

She told him of Yvette marrying a Nott -a dark, prominent family originated from Greece- and their daughter, Pandora. Yvette was the sister who had died recently -though how she died was a debate among many purebloods as the Notts didn't have the best reputations.

She told him many things; things that were long overdue but still interesting.

**Unfortunately I have to end it there or it'll be much too long. Sorry for any mistakes you find but I didn't want to keep you readers waiting any longer. Review and tell me anything you want -just be polite plz.**

**Next chapter coming soon.**


	3. Meeting The Family

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.**

**There's a very slight Dr Who reference in this chapter, which you may understand when I finish the photo album I've created for this fic.**

**FYI; any bold speech in italics is said in a different language. **

**For example **_**"You are the most stuck -up person I have ever had the displeasure of meeting**__.__**" **_Severus hissed darkly.

**That would be Sev speaking in French (to one of his relatives no doubt).**

**On with the story… (which I've decided will be slightly au)**

Just two weeks after Severus had been escorted to the Prince family cemetery by his mother Eileen, she'd gotten a letter. But, that wasn't all.

It had been delivered by an _owl_. And a rather -subtly- elegant one at that (luckily his father was nursing his hangover on the living room sofa, or there would have been hell to pay) -it was _almost_ identical to the one that had delivered the letter informing them of Yvette Nott's unfortunate death, those few months ago. It didn't help matters that his mother had paled at the sight of it before hastily taking the letter from the owl, folding it, and thrusting it in her cloak pocket. She then gave the owl some water before letting the owl out of the kitchen window.

He'd asked her what the matter was, yet all he got in reply was,_** "We may require another trip to the cemetery again Severus**_._**"**_

_Later that night _

With Severus' father unconscious, he and Eileen were able to visit the family cemetery again. 'Curly hair' and his brother were guarding the entrance again, yet Severus still couldn't see their faces as they were wearing hooded cloaks. After the blood test, the two vampires let the young mother and her child pass through the gates with no resistance.

When they walked down the familiar path towards Alexander and his family's grave, they saw a dark-haired woman along with two children sitting on the bench a little ways off the path. They were all wearing the same cloaks as he and his mother. That was about all he could distinguish in the growing darkness.

When they saw Eileen and Severus, the woman and the children stood and walked towards them. Their faces were slightly veiled due to the darkness, but as they walked closer -and into the dim moonlight, Severus found that he could see their pale, similar features better. They looked regal and held themselves as such, and their skin seemed to shine in the light of the moon, making them look ethereal.

"Eileen," The woman greeted in a cold tone, "And… Severus, I believe."

"Yes, ma'am," Severus said as the woman's narrowed dark eyes -that held the slightest hint of grey- flickered from his mother, to him and then back. She looked a few months younger than his mother, with dark hair -with hints of dark brown shining in the moonlight- high cheekbones, a straight nose and pursed lips.

"Severus," His mother intoned quietly, her eyes on the woman and children opposite, "This is your aunt Jacqueline and…"

"I believe my children can introduce themselves, Eileen," His aunt said frostily, beckoning her children forward.

A young boy of around twelve or so stood beside a young girl around seven -his age. He knew their names but he wasn't going to deny them the right to introduce themselves, even though, without a doubt they already knew who he was. He could see it in their eyes; they regarded him with suspicion but -thankfully- not disgust. Not any visible disgust that is.

His cousin, Alexander stood with his hands clasped behind his back and his feet shoulder width apart, while his sister Eleanor stood with her feet together and her hands clasped in front of her.

Alexander was tall but slight with a strong nose and jaw, silver eyes -that Severus knew was from the MacDougal side of the boy's family- and dark hair that was parted and combed smartly. His face was blank but not cold and unwelcoming as his mother's was.

Eleanor was around Severus' height -just a few inches shorter- with a heart-shaped face, porcelain pale skin, a small nose, eyes identical to her mother's -except _slightly_ lighter and warmer- and straight sandy blonde hair -also from the MacDougal's- that fell down her back and spilled over her shoulders.

Alexander spoke first, "A pleasant evening to you, aunt Eileen and cousin Severus," He gave them a curt nod, "I am Alexander MacDougal."

Then he stepped back and Eleanor stepped forward, "Pleasant evening to you both," Her slightly thin lips lifted at the corners a little as she gave them a nod, "My name is Eleanor MacDougal."

Her nose twitched slightly before she also stepped back and their mother smiled at them proudly before turning towards Eileen, "How long it has been since you last came here Eileen. It was… Alexander and," She swallowed as if swallowing bile, "His family's funeral was it not?"

His mother nodded, "Indeed it was Jacqueline, indeed it was."

"And whatever made you come back?"

Eileen's small, forced smile slipped off her face as her cousin (her thin, dark eyebrows raised in question) continued to smile at her politely.

Politely but not warmly.

Severus frowned faintly; was that any way to treat family? Sure, his mother had left and married a muggle but still…

There was a war on and at any moment they could be killed just for… just for being half-breeds.

(Though technically _they _weren't half of anything. It was his mother and his aunt's fathers that were half-human half-vampire, then again, with magical humans one never knew. His grandfather and great-uncle could just be a third human and two thirds vampire; that would certainly explain why his great-uncle didn't look over the age of mid-twenties at the most. Though that could be due to a concealment charm…)

He saw Alexander give a small nod and frown slightly; he agreed with Severus it seemed. And so did his sister if the slight furrow between her eyebrows and the down tugging at the corner of her mouth was anything to go by.

After some rather mystifying dialogue between the two cousins, Alexander cleared his throat. The two women whirled around to stare at the young boy.

"Yes?" His aunt spoke sharply, almost as sharply as when she had spoken to his mother who had a defiant expression on her thin face.

"Sorry to interrupt mother, but I was just wondering," He paused slightly as if to think upon his words, "What are we doing here?"

How very tactful.

His aunt scowled before stepping in front of her children, _**"What**__**we are doing here will become clear soon enough, son of mine. But you speak as if you and your sister did not have a choice in the matter of coming here,"**_Then she glared at her children as if they had committed a terrible crime, _**"But let me remind you, children; you did have a choice in coming here. So I suggest you keep quiet and not ask any more unnecessary questions. Is that understood?"**_

They responded swiftly and in blank tones, _**"Yes, ma'am."**_

His mother hummed in thought, "So Pandora summoned you too did she?"

His aunt responded in her customary cold tone, "Yes. Yes she did." Then she paused as if in thought, "Yvette's funeral was… We weren't invited. Neither were your parents or Bridget."

"What… but that's just… that's not-" His mother stumbled over her words though her expression was one of anger.

Severus heard the sound of faint footsteps walking their direction as a new, young feminine voice spoke, "It's not fair is it?"

They all turned towards the voice as a young girl in a petite cherry cloak stepped into the moonlight. She looked at least more than a few months younger than him and Eleanor and was levitating a dark wooded trunk behind her. His eyebrows rose; so it seemed he wasn't the only one in his family who read ahead if the girl was able to levitate a trunk, which was now being placed gently on the ground beside her.

Her dark brown hair -_slightly_ lighter than his aunt's and Alexander's; _almost_ a different shade- fell down her back and flurried around her small form in a light breeze. Her eyes were wide and he could see hints of amethyst in their dark, endless depths. She had soft features and pale skin similar to him and his mother's; almost translucent, not the glowing, well-cared-for skin that his cousin Alexander had, or the porcelain pale skin of his aunt Jacqueline and cousin Eleanor.

She looked quite familiar -he already knew she was family as she wouldn't have gotten in otherwise- and it was only after a few seconds that he knew who she was.

"Pandora Nott," He whispered, though they all heard him -of course. The girl's small nose wrinkled at the surname but she nodded, her wide, dark eyes never leaving his.

"And you're… Severus, yes?" She asked lightly, not a hint of disdain in her young voice.

He nodded as she glanced around her, taking in all their faces before her eyes stopped at his mother, Eileen and she smiled. He was surprised to find it wasn't only a polite smile but it was warm as well.

She walked towards his mother, "Aunt Eileen," She greeted, "Mother has told me about you."

"I'm sure," Eileen muttered before Pandora blinked and shook her head with a frown.

"Not like that. She said you were," Then she glanced at Jacqueline before turning her gaze back to his mother, "Mother said you were brave."

Ignoring his aunt's fierce scowl, Pandora continued, "You were able to get away from the pressures of a pureblood home," Then she paused, "Mother wasn't so lucky."

"But your parent's marriage wasn't an arranged one," His aunt told Pandora snidely, "It was _love._" She sneered viciously.

"_**Careful Jacq, you mustn't twist your pretty face up like that,"**_ His mother started calculatingly, glaring at her cousin while his aunt scowled, _**"A fierce wind might blow, and your face might stay like that."**_

As his mother finished with a sarcastic, _**"Now, wouldn't that be a shame?"**_ Severus stifled a smirk, Alexander raised a cautious eyebrow, and the two young girls subdued surprised laughter.

His aunt's dangerously narrowed eyes darkened to the colour of midnight before Pandora spoke up hesitantly, "Do either of you think that you could call for aunt Bridget now, please?"

So that's why they were here.

His mother nodded while his aunt just stood fuming, "I'll be right back."

She disappeared into the darkness and Severus turned to Pandora, "Why _exactly_ did you… summon my mother and aunt Jacqueline?"

"Well, in mother's will, it said in the event of her death I should be sent to live with aunt Bridget and Alice. I don't know where they live at the moment but I do know where aunt Jacqueline lives and the general area where you and aunt Eileen live, so I sent owls to both of them -as I didn't know if either of them would answer, let alone be able to contact aunt Bridget- to meet me here, at eight and contact aunt Bridget for me."

At Severus' questioning look she continued in a quiet voice, "Mother couldn't leave me with my father and uncles and my other aunt; they're horrendously old-fashioned. They keep trying to turn me, Thalia, Cla- No -wait, hold on. I meant, they keep trying to turn my other cousins Thalia, Clarisse, Melissa and I into the perfect-" Then she stopped abruptly, eyes downcast and chewing her bottom lip.

"Well don't stop now." It seemed that the other three were listening to their conversation as well. Not that it was private to begin with.

Pandora glanced at Alexander and Eleanor, while their aunt stared at her in slight annoyance, "Well carry on, child. It just doesn't do to stop in the middle of a sentence."

"You won't like it," Pandora whispered, eyes scanning over the near-by graves of their late uncle and his family. At their aunt's look of insistence, Pandora continued, "Deatheater's wives."

Their aunt Jacqueline hissed darkly, dark eyes glimmering towards the point of amethyst. Alexander scowled while Eleanor's lip curled.

Severus' eyes narrowed, "Deatheater's wives," He repeated solemnly; dark eyes boring into his youngest cousin's slightly lighter eyes as she nodded.

"I got out before they could even dare to have me betrothed to… a Deatheater's son. Or worse Damon." Pandora elaborated before any of her relatives could ask, "Damon Nott, Melissa's older brother and my other cousin." Her expression turned to one of deep loathing and disgust, "He's going to be initiated as soon as he's old enough. Melissa, on the other hand is in training for such a role as a Deatheater's wife. She may or may not be betrothed; I do not know. "

"What about your other cousins?" Eleanor questioned softly, "Thalia and Clarisse?"

"They got away. Before I did in fact; they left when their mother… died," Pandora explained, swallowing thickly, "She was a good woman, who didn't deserve death -though I suppose no one does... Actually, Damon and Melissa's mother...who's still alive…" She trailed off, her eyes glazed and a hint of a smirk on her lips. Her pink tongue ran over her parted lips before she shook her head with a scowl.

"How long ago was that?" Alexander asked softly being the conversation back on topic, and Severus could practically see the cogs turning in his head.

"More than half a year ago."

"So they left you there?"

"Well, I had mother when they left…"

"But not anymore." That was Jacqueline, brow furrowed in thought as she stared at Pandora.

"But why do they do that?" Alexander crossed his arms, as he too stared at Pandora, yet Severus knew that the older boy knew the answer already.

"Kill off their wives?" At Alexander's nod Pandora continued, "For money. They supported Grindelwald in the first wizarding war and when he was defeated, the Nott's lost everything." Their oldest cousin nodded knowingly as the answer seemed to be as he suspected.

"Unlike us," His aunt stated proudly as she spoke of her maiden family, "Our family weren't foolish enough to invest some much in Grindelwald, even though we too supported him. Well, _some_ supported him but most were neutral. After all, we -the Prince's- bow to no one."

"They bow to us," Pandora whispered, finishing the customary royal saying -almost a second familial motto- with a smirk.

Their very first familial motto being; 'Famille Est Sacré.' 'Family Is Sacred'; a motto said and written in the language of their country; french. The Black's -of English origins- having also written their familial motto of 'Toujours Pure' 'Always Pure' in French, were said to have copied the Prince's in that aspect.

His mother returned silently from the darkness. She nodded at Pandora who smiled in thanks.

It was only around ten minutes that was spent waiting for their other aunt and cousin, who apparently hadn't been kept contact with the family since Alexander Prince's death.

In those ten minutes, Severus connected with his family. Well, his cousins anyway; his aunt remained stoic and cold, as was the expected norm.

Alexander told him and Pandora to call him 'Dru', as a way to differentiate between him and his namesake, their late uncle. Eleanor had then mock-whispered that that meant he liked them since they were allowed to call him that. Dru had then glared at his sister yet he did or said nothing to dissuade her claim, which Severus would have found odd if he hadn't remembered the first familial motto; family is sacred.

Eleanor then told them to call her Elle as it was a lot nicer than her full name in her opinion. Her mother had glared at her at that comment and Elle then smiled at her irate mother and stated that it was the honest truth and that she wanted to be closer to her cousins on the Prince side of her family than she currently was with her father's family. His aunt had snorted before saying, _**"Well, Eleanor, if you had the slightest interest in academics -and I mean other than Astrology and Charms- than I suppose you'd be more… in tune with your other cousins, wouldn't you?"**_

Elle's lips had pursed before she said, "Astrology _isn't_ a washed out subject; it's a subject worthy to be studied by _either _of my families."

Her mother had stared at her then, slightly intrigued, "If you say so…"

Dru had placed his pale hand over his sister's in reassurance before a woman's voice echoed in the darkness,

"_**Still so unfeeling towards your own family then, Jacqueline." **_

A pale woman with wavy ebony hair down to her elbows, sharp features and calm dark eyes stood before them. A young girl, the same age as him and Elle stood behind her. The girl had sleek wine-red curls flowing down her back, soft features similar to Pandora's, porcelain pale skin and dark eyes the colour of chocolate.

His mother smiled at the woman softly, "Bridget… It's good to see you."

The woman -his other aunt, Bridget- smiled back at his mother uncertainly, "And you, Eileen."

Jacqueline spoke up then, "How different from what you said to her the last time you two saw each other."

Bridget scowled at Jacqueline, "You always have to ruin everything don't you? Bringing up bad memories…"

"Alright, Bridget," His mother said, stepping forward to calm her sister, "No need to dwell on the past. It's the here and now that matters the most."

Wise words.

Severus wasn't aware that he'd spoken aloud until he saw his cousins turn to him.

Pandora smirked lightly, "How biased…"

He glared at her and her eyebrow twitched as if she wanted to raise it, before she whispered, "I've lived through the wrath of _dear_ auntie Bianca. I think you'll have to do worse than that for me to even feel nervous."

His glare deepened and his lip curled in a vicious sneer, before Pandora shifted slightly and looked away with a whisper, "Alright, alright. I'm actually nervous now. Hope you're happy…"

He gave her one last dark glare before he turned away, taking note of Dru and Elle's small smirks and the older women's curious glances. His other cousin, Alice stared at the young quartet with a raised eyebrow before Bridget spoke, "Good evening children. I'm your aunt Bridget and..." She gave Alice a look before the girl sighed.

"Hello," She said in a quiet voice before frowning, "Um…I mean -uh good evening. Mmm, I'm Alice. Alice Harper." She was obviously struggling to talk politely as her frown deepened as she straightened and glanced at her mother who stared at her daughter through narrowed eyes.

"Good evening, Alice, Alice Harper," Elle started politely, "I'm Eleanor." Severus was surprised she could say that without pulling a face; but he supposed she'd had practise, "Eleanor MacDougal, but you may call me Elle." She was dong a very good job of sounding regal -almost arrogant-, that was for sure.

Dru gave a curt nod, "I am Alexander MacDougal, it'll be a while before we can get onto nicknames, I'm afraid." Dru then gestured to his sister in mock-exasperation before turning back to Bridget and Alice, who Severus was sure could tell that the boy was teasing them by his small smile. The corner of Alice's lip twitched while her mother raised an eyebrow in vague amusement.

Jacqueline rolled her eyes at her children's behaviour as his mother smiled, also in amusement.

As Severus introduced himself, he -yet again- saw recognition in their dark eyes as they glanced at him and Eileen, most likely looking at the similarities and differences between the two.

Pandora glanced at the two nervously, gripping the handle of her trunk tightly as she introduced herself quietly. Bridget smiled at her niece warmly before walking forward to hug the small girl, who blinked back tears as she spoke in a thick voice, "So I can come live with you?"

Bridget gave a small laugh, "Yes. Yes, you can live with us, Pandora."

"I don't mind," Alice said when Pandora looked at her.

Pandora whispered her thanks as her aunt vowed that Pandora's father and his family would rue the day they crossed the Prince's.

Severus almost laughed when Alice pouted when Bridget said they had to get going as it was getting late, even so, he did let a small smirk curl his thin lips. They walked towards the gate and passed effortlessly. Eileen hugged her sister briefly before walking over to Severus and placing a hand on his shoulder. He said his goodbyes to Alice, Pandora, Elle and Dru before glancing at Jacqueline, who glared at him and Bridget, who gave him a small smile and a nod.

As the two turned away from their family to walk through the darkness to an apparition point, Bridget called out, _**"We'll see you again, Eileen?"**_

Severus looked at his mother whose expression flickered from worry to hopefulness as she turned back to the group, _**"I hope so, sister."**_

Before Severus turned back he saw Dru smile at him, Elle wave and Alice and Pandora nod and smirk at him respectively. He smirked back at them and nodded at his aunts before he and his mother walked through to darkness to apparate back to Spinner's End.

How he wished they didn't have to go.

**Hope that was satisfying. Thanks to everyone who reviewed etc, I hope you continue to give me feedback. Did I introduce the OC's in a good way? Please review, even it is just a word.**


	4. Beginning of the End

**A/N: So sorry for the long wait, life got in the way and I got writer's block. **

**Any and all suggestions and ideas are **_very _**welcome and will be taken into account for this fic.**

**In case you're wondering about the speech that will appear in this following chapter, well, it's not spelling mistakes; it's phonetic… Least I think it is… Dunno if I got it right. Ah well.**

**The following chaps that detail each of Sev's school years will have fairly short sections (as I doubt I'll be able to write anything long-winded) like back to back vignettes and anything not mentioned in full detail will be referenced in later chaps.**

**Just a heads up for later chaps: if you aren't a fan of character death - even if its not described, just mentioned - then turn back now. This fic is not for you. **

**Warning: Chapter rated for abuse.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything recognisable.**

Young Severus jerked and shuddered, remembering the afternoon before and horrors that none should ever have to go through. His head jerked to the side as he lay upon an elegant wooden bed, the once-pristine, crisp sheets rumpled and twisted around his twitching frame.

_Water. _

_It filled his barely-parted mouth, and his nostrils. It trickled painfully slowly through his throat and into his lungs._

_It should have stung his wide eyes, but it didn't. _

_Firm hands gripped his neck._

_And held him under._

Obsidian eyes snapped open and a strangled noise - a cross between a howl and a choked sob - rose from his dry, sore throat, passing his barely parted, thin lips. He drew his breath in a broken gasp and screwed his eyes shut as his mother shifted in the chair beside his bed, trying to soothe him, as he remembered. Vividly.

_The blurry, rippling image of a man danced before his vision. _

_A man drunk with rage. _

_He didn't bother himself too much with the man's features though he could see dark, stringy hair, dark bloodshot eyes, and a large, crooked nose. _

_Darkness was creeping into his vision, like a small spider would from a stomping shoe…Right before it got squished to its demise._

_Noise that held no meaning - that took his mind seconds to decipher and register - filled his ears, ears that were full of gushing water. _

"_NO! Stop it, Tobias! Leave him." A woman's voice. He recognised it._

"_You- you dare try and-and leave me? _Eh?_ Y-your husband, Eileen! And you'd take da boy s'well_, D'YA THINK_? WELL I WON'T HAVE IT! _DAMN IT_ WOMAN…"_

_The hands around his neck tightened, and Severus involuntarily thrashed in the grim, slightly yellowed bathtub, full of running water. His movements caused the hands to tighten even further and he felt himself choke. Water continued to fill his dry throat, though did nothing to soothe the ever-present ache. Whenever he moved his head he felt a sensation like needles pricking his scalp. _

_He could hear voices… _their _voices_. _Three months since he'd met them for the first time and he could hear –_

"_Fight it, Severus. You are a fighter aren't you?" That was Dru._

"_Sev…! C'mon, Sev…" Alice. Funny, she seemed like the only one to even try and call him that. He was only used to Lily calling him that occasionally, and sometimes his mother._

"_Severus Snape." That was Elle. Was he imagining it (even more wishful thinking perhaps) or did she sound sad? "You'd better survive this! _Understand_..?"_

_There was only…_

"_Severus!" Ah, there she was. "Don't die! Don't give up!" Pandora – as enforcing as ever._

"Sev,_" And Lily – his first true friend. Dear innocent Lily. "I swear… if you don't – you don't survive I _will _find a way to bring you back and make you wish you'd never left me." In different circumstances he would have laughed. Not today. _

_Then there was a bluish glow, dim to his perceptive eyes but still visible, and the hands around his neck loosened as an unfamiliar masculine voice hissed sharply in another language. One that Severus was too groggy to even attempt to decipher even with his almost-photographic memory. _

_He tried to sit up and felt the sensation like needles digging into his skull relentlessly. His thrashing hands felt around the back of his hand and his fingers met thread… No – it was his hair. Severus grasped the strands and pulled. The darkness was enclosing in his vision and his chest felt like it was being used as a Hippogriff's cushion. He wasn't going to live much longer if he didn't get out._

No,_ he was strong; he could fight this…_

_He would fight this. _

_Breaking the surface of the water with a gasp Severus scrabbled for the rim of the bathtub, his body heaving. Though he was part-vampire he still needed oxygen like any human would. His vision wasn't improving any and his clothes - sizes too big, as usual - stuck to his paper-white skin, almost dragging him back down into the increasing depths of the water. Best not forget the water trickling in his lungs and lodging in his still-dry throat._

_He coughed violently and felt someone pat his back none-too-gently. He felt water expel from his sore throat. He closed his eyes, drawing in shaky breaths. He knew it wasn't his mother beside him as he could hear her whispering to one of the numerous people – wizards – who had stormed the house seemingly of random intent. _

_Whoever it was, they sounded strangely familiar; their smooth, almost velvet-like, tones washing over him as he heard others move about the house doing Merlin knew what. It was a… a man. He knew that much. _

_He opened his eyes and turned his head towards the cloaked male beside him. His vision cleared briefly before his world blurred and threatened to turn on its head. The man tucked his hands underneath Severus' arms and then he was lifted up from the water and onto something soft. Something being levitated. Logic told him it was most likely a stretcher but he could care less about what logic told him. _

_Especially as, at that moment, the image of someone pale with dark hair looming over him cleared and he saw a young man with a serious face and intense eyes staring at him. _

_He looked familiar. But it wasn't Dru…_

_Then the man's lips twisted into a smirk before he whispered, "Sleep, nephew. There is nothing to fear; we shall not harm you or your mother."_

Of _course_, you would say that wouldn't you, _he thought cynically._

_Then he had succumbed to the darkness._

And when he woke it was in an unfamiliar place. He had tensed upon thinking it to be a hospital but then he'd taken note of his mother asleep in a chair by his bedside.

He saw the low, yellowish lighting and felt the almost soothing atmosphere of the room with a high ceiling, and two veiled arched windows on either side of the bed and thought _this is no muggle hospital _before succumbing to unconsciousness once more.

The next week after that encounter had been spent in the ancestral palace of the Prince's - a place Severus thought he would never set foot in. Days of bed rest and the consumption of numerous potions would have taken its toll on the young, fourth generation vampire (that was simply an easier and quicker way of saying 'the great-grandson of a vampire' or, 'the grandson of a half-vampire' etc.) had it not been for his cousins, mother and Aunt Bridget.

Aside from his mother he was fairly perplexed as to why his other relations would stay beside him in the infirmary. His aunt was alright, not overbearing – she knew her place. But her stories of her family – their family – helped him; he liked knowledge after all.

But his cousins, oh they had infuriated him, grating on his already fragile nerves with their various minutiae – especially Alice. That girl had to be the biggest gossip this side of Europe (it was only until much later that he found out she'd made most of the tales she'd regaled his bedridden self with up to take his mind of his injuries apparently. He'd never felt such grudging gratefulness for another soul before).

And then the most terrible thing happened – they began to grow on him. He actually began to enjoy their company. _Him_ – Mister Antisocial… Yet he still felt fairly odd about having heard their voices the day that he and his mother had tried to leave his father.

He learned as much about them as they did about him. They were all curious about each other, having never met before for longer than three hours (aside from the MacDougal siblings obviously and Alice and Pandora).

Severus knew just how Ale- Dru liked his butterbeer. Odd lad he was, taking butterbeer with mint leaves and the occasional stick of cinnamon.…

He knew that Elle had horrific nightmares and didn't like sleeping alone without the warmth of someone she trusted by her side (he had even had the honour of being her bedmate one particularly windy night when he hadn't been able to sleep himself). She trusted too easily when she let her flimsy guard down; a bit like him. He didn't want to trust so much in them, regardless of their blood ties. Or maybe because of them.

He learned that Pandora had an odd habit of reaching for her neck (which appeared bare), as if to finger a necklace, when she felt… well, any unpleasant emotion it seemed. She did so especially when she and Alice were forced to converse. They didn't seem to like each other much (too similar, as Elle had said; they were like dying embers sparking into life then). And she always rubbed at the back of her smooth hands when she was nervous or guilty…

And Alice… She was an enigma wrapped in a conundrum. He wasn't sure what her true personality was. He needed more time to… get to know her – as daunting as that sounded. She appeared a bit more _ladylike _to other family members but that was evanescent when in his company. Then she alternated between appearing bubbly and a parody of a wannabe aristocrat – yet not nearly as composed and solemn as himself and Pandora. More solemn than any their age had right to be they were. Yet the other three somehow balanced them out. It was odd. But it worked…

He had wished to contact Lily - who he'd only had time to say a hasty goodbye to before his planned departure from Spinner's End – but according to his mother and Bridget the owls had to 'get used to him'.

With any number of his relatives having visited the Palace's owlery sometime throughout the time they'd stayed there or visited, one would think that the owls would have gotten used to being around 'half-breeds'. But _no_, because, according to the adults, not every individual vampire was the same so one could hardly expect their human-ish descendants to be the same as their kin.

It was all a load of tosh in Severus' opinion. He scoffed inwardly; the things he would have to put up with in order to keep contact with Lily… well, it was only one thing, but _still_. Halfbreeds and especially first generation vampires weren't exactly fans of sticking their heads in fires so floo was out of the question – magical vampires or no; floo was still only for dire emergencies.

And flying, well, he hated the idea of it and would prefer to stay as far away from Spinner's End as possible. He didn't want to have to go back there if he could help it.

So owl post it was then.

* * *

As soon as he was well enough, Severus and his mother were able to leave, ready to go and live with his Aunt Bridget, and his two cousins at their current house. They journeyed from the infirmary, and down countless wide staircases, passing grand rooms and various relations and allies, all of whom looked upon him and his mother with sharp, cutting looks. Despite himself though, Severus could hardly resist turning his head to look this way and that, especially when their… _entourage_ reached one of the many scarcely-lit, wide corridors that fed off the entrance hall.

His light footsteps faltered when he caught sight of the many portraits lining the cold stone walls of the Prince's ancestral palace. He nearly started when he felt a dull nudge on his side. Turning his head, his narrowing eyes locked with Eleanor's (who for some reason was accompanying him and his mother to their new home, along with her brother), who was looking at him curiously, head tilted to the side slightly and eyebrow arched.

Ah, but of course. She could - and probably would - have visited the palace a number of times, while this was the first, and possibly last, time he would ever see his family's ancestral palace.

He regained his smooth, steady gait, eyes locking with those of his many ancestors' magical portraits. People of different ages but with strong resemblances to one another - and himself, he soon realised as he walked further down the corridor - sat, or stood in the grand portraits. He saw that the portraits at the very end of the corridor, that he was walking away from, looked more human than the relations that glided beside, and in front of him then. The living relatives that he hadn't had the pleasure of being around for more than an hour in total all wore robes and cloaks that billowed as they moved. He swore they had worn those to look intimidating as it made them look as if their feet weren't even touching the ground.

One endless feature in the portraits always caught his attention; their startlingly amethyst eyes. Eyes that darkened the further down the corridor he walked and the more portraits he passed by. Along with the darkening of their eyes, there was also the sharpening of facial structure and the paling of skin that caught his attention, and then he knew what had occurred; it was the 'vampiric gene' being… _introduced _to his family, many times over. (His mother's grandfather wasn't the only 'pure' - first generation - vampire in the family line it seemed.)

Severus recalled the image of a young man sitting on a grand throne, dark grey material of his fine robes spilling over the simple golden structure of his throne. He held his tilted head in his right hand; the forefinger and thumb holding his chin, while his dark, swept hair threatened to spill into his narrow amethyst eyes.

He wasn't overly pale like Severus' grandfather - or even his great-grandfather whom he'd only met the once - but neither did his skin seem to glow, like Dru's. His skin was simply dotted with light freckles and the occasional blemish; _human_ - _completely_ human - skin. His face wasn't pointed nor was it round; it simply existed in an in-between.

Then Severus recalled the ring that had been on the man - William the Third's - right middle finger. That hadn't been the only ring that Severus had seen on the man - he'd seen a wedding band on his left hand also - but there was something extremely special about that ring. The dark ring that held a gemstone that was coloured a simple, yet rich-looking, wine shade; a colour that changed - lightened - when hit by the light of the sun from, what looked like, a glass ceiling above.

That ring - and another like it, if a two and half hundred year old tale he'd heard from Bridget proved right - could only be worn by the head of the Most Noble and Ancient Court of Prince.

And a head of a House - or Court - could only be either human or a third generation halfbreed or lower, as Elle had informed him, as Dru was favoured to be the head of Court as soon as he was of age.

A choice that seemed to unsettle many of their relatives as the boy was also of MacDougal name. _But_ he was their most willing choice as his uncle, his namesake, had been the head of the Court before him (another reason why his murder by the hands of Voldemort angered them greatly), and his mother could hardly take the position as she now had the MacDougal name upon herself also. Their uncle Lucas couldn't be found, let alone contacted, so he wasn't even a choice.

* * *

The middle of nowhere was hardly a place he thought he'd like to live, Severus thought as he gazed upon his Aunt's three-storey, circular house that was surrounded by a thickening forest that ran around the perimeter of the whole house.

Stepping over the threshold of his aunt's double front doors it was easy for Severus to see the differences between that house and the Prince's ancestral home. For one thing the corridor was well lit by natural light. A fact that was emphasised by the wooden floor boards and fairly pale walls that were lined with magical paintings, not of people, but of landscapes.

After a tour of the downstairs, Severus and his four cousins made their way up the tall, winding staircase that seemed to run around the structure of the simple, yet elegant house. Passing a landing on their continuous upward journey, Alice made a passing comment, "This is where my mother's bedroom is, and there are a few other guestrooms."

Then they reached the landing at the very top - or so he had assumed it was before he remembered the hidden staircase that had been concealed behind the living room bookcase at Spinner's End, before his mother had removed the magical feature upon their departure. There was a wall to his right. It looked bare…

Turning slowly, Severus could see slanted walls and a long corridor with three wooden doors along each side of it, some ajar and others fully closed. Alice bounded ahead and gestured to the first door on their left, "That's my bedroom," The second door on their right, "That's Pandora's," Then the remaining bedrooms were gestured to, "And of the last three, well, the choice is yours," The redhead turned and her dark eyes, that he thought resembled rust, stared directly into his own before they turned towards Dru and Elle imploringly.

Severus turned to his levitating trunk behind him, placed his hand flat on it, murmured the counter spell that dissolved his mother's charm and then walked further down the corridor. Upon opening the first door to his right, behind him he could hear Alice continue in a soft tone that held an undertone of uncertainty, "If you'll have them."

Finished scrutinising the gender-neutral, blue-themed bedroom, he set about moving towards the door further down the corridor. But not before seeing Dru give a fluid nod of his head and Elle smile courteously in response to Alice's request.

After viewing the second and third of the available bedrooms, he had to settle on the last. It certainly had a comfortable feel to it, with its dark-wooded furniture, and pale, calm-radiating wallpaper. Walking back into the room, his levitating trunk now behind him, he drank in the sight of the four poster bed with pale curtains that was centred and pressed against the centre of a wall with two tall, arched windows on either side of it. Just like his room at the infirmary in the Palace.

Veil-like curtains blocked the morning light from flooding the room and for that Severus was grateful; he wasn't in the mood for experiencing any rashes anytime soon. Though hopefully his mother would be able to brew some of the potion that he could rub on his skin to prevent such a thing happening.

(It was either that or drinking a foul-smelling potion that made gruel taste heavenly.)

He hoped it would be soon as he didn't fancy the idea of staying indoors for much of the summer holiday, and the rest of his time here. That seemed much too like life at Spinner's End than he was comfortable with.

Even then as he gazed out one of the windows to a view of the thick trees surrounding the house, he had an urge to feel the wind's caress on his skin, to feel it ruffle his hair, to feel it pushing against his back none-too-gently as he walked through the trees of the forest barefoot and clad only in a simple shirt and trousers…

Losing himself in his vivid vision his breath caught in his throat when there was a knock upon the wooden door. Any human would have jumped out of their skin at such an interruption from an almost realistic reverie such as the one he'd just experienced.

As it was, Severus was no mere human - a fact that could be viewed as both a curse and a blessing.

"Enter." He called almost absentmindly, but he was then bought back to earth by a ghastly thought; how like a 'noble' he already sounded.

He turned his head to Alice standing in the doorway smiling. "So?" The redhead raised an eyebrow, her expression one of earnest curiosity.

He mimicked her expression and repeated, "So?"

Alice's lips pursed slightly in annoyance then she stepped forward, almost hesitantly. "Do you like it?"

Surprised by the almost vulnerability in her tone he decided to lighten the situation. He gave a self-assured smirk and said, "Well, I have chosen it haven't I?"

Alice nodded and seemed to avoid his gaze, "Not just the room…"

Severus turned away, to the forest outside, and there was silence between them for a few heartbeats. Then he whispered, "It's wonderful." Out of the corner of his eye he saw Alice's head snap towards him, and he turned his head to catch her gaze, "Everything I could have hoped for."

Alice smiled and wavered slightly, nodding at him before she exited the room in a swish of pale yellow.

Mere minutes later he was called downstairs where he was sat down at an oblong shaped table with the rest of his family, save the two MacDougal's and his aunt Bridget.

"Where are Elle and Dru?" He asked Alice as he heard his aunt bustling about in the kitchen.

"I think they had to go home – they couldn't stay long I expect." She looked like she'd been about to say more but he was too distracted by the rich smells wafting in the room to really care.

His mouth watered and he had to swallow to ask, "What is that?"

Alice sighed in an almost wistful and impatient manner, "You'll see."

Seconds later he couldn't stop himself from gaping at the rich, extravagant food that appeared onto the glossy wooden table before his eyes. Across the table Pandora smirked at his reaction before he grabbed a bowl from the pile that had appeared just to the side of him and Alice. He was filling the bowl with a rich looking soup as his cousins filled their own bowls and plates with the various foods. His mother shook her head at them as she sat, also across from him, waiting for Bridget to arrive presumably as it was only polite to wait for the host before one started their meal.

But he couldn't wait, he was just so hungry. And so were his cousins if their filling plates were anything to go by. Back at the Prince Ancestral palace he'd been fed small amounts of simple foods – buttered bread, cheese, and sliced meat with water to wash it down with the occasional bowl of chicken noodle soup if he was particularly lucky.

Speaking of soup…

"Children, wait," His aunt called, "I haven't got the silverware out." Pandora gave a sudden snort and Alice unsuccessfully bit back her laughter, but Severus was too busy filling his bowl up to the top with a thick, smooth green soup – probably spinach but beggars couldn't be choosers, he certainly wasn't complaining.

He raised his bowl and placed the rim onto his lips, the clatter of silverware and streaks of white, red, and dark brown across his half-lidded vision making him correctly guess that the silverware had arrived. He heard his aunt's arrival as he downed the last of his soup, setting the bowl down to stare at his family who were looking at him in amusement as he licked his lips.

"Would you like some more?" His aunt asked a growing smile on her lips as she seemed to positively glow with happiness. In her hand she held the silver ladle which she dipped into the huge crystal clear bowl filled with the most delicious spinach soup he'd ever tasted.

He handed over his empty bowl eagerly, "Yes, please." He had seen Alice wipe away the crumbs from around her mouth out of the corner of his eye, and now he saw Pandora grin at him widely as she slowly tore chunks off of the bread she was holding, chewing them slowly as if she hadn't been tearing into another small loaf of partly soup drenched bread, just as he'd had his first taste of his aunt Bridget's spinach soup.

* * *

It was early evening and as he walked through the corridor towards his room after an evening of stories being told and memories shared - courtesy of the two oldest women in the house - a quick flash of purple caught his eye. He stopped and turned towards where he'd seen the flash, the inside of Pandora's pale purple-themed bedroom making him waver slightly before he stepped forward.

A soft murmur caught his ears. "W-win_ga-a-ar_dium levi_o-o-o_sa… Or was it levio_sa_? Drat..!"

He knocked on her halfway-open bedroom door. Pandora, on her four poster bed, was huddled amongst a pool of light grey fabric from her robes. Her bent head snapped up, wide eyes resembling a void. In her pale fingers she had been twirling a silver necklace with a pendant in the shape of a tear drop; an amethyst jewel was embedded in its centre. The jewel caught the light of the setting sun. He squinted as a purple flicker danced across his eyes once again.

"Yes…?" Her hesitant, young voice sounded thick with grief, and it tore at his heart.

"Can I come in?"

She nodded awkwardly and he stepped, barefoot as he always seemed to find himself those days, onto the bare floorboards of her room. Eyes on the curious-looking necklace, he asked, "Whose is that?"

"Mine," Came her hesitant answer.

"I've never seen you wear it."

Any other day - when she wasn't so clouded by grief - Severus supposed that Pandora would have snapped at him sharply, or perhaps just sent him a cold look bordering on indignation (or was that a bit too much for a six - bordering on seven - year old, no matter how… vampiric their ancestors were?).

There had been a silence, long and almost cold. It had stretched between them like a chewed strand of lime bubblegum. That was the flavour of gum that Lily used to chew almost constantly (it had made an annoying sound whenever she'd popped the bubble that she'd made). Perhaps he could send her some from Diagon Alley if he went there soon.

Then Pandora asked him if he had ever wondered just how she'd arrived safely on the night they'd first met.

He said he had been curious. Pandora told him of an enchanted necklace her mother had given her days before her demise - 'vicious murder' was what Pandora had actually called it; the very same necklace that she had just been trying to levitate. She said it must have been enchanted to secure the wearer's safety as she herself had worn the necklace that night, and rode on the Knight Bus (to a place half hour's walk away from the cemetery as her mother had instructed of her) and no harm had come to her.

In fact Pandora said it had been almost as if she was unnoticeable; no-one had had their attention on her for more than a few seconds, and that was only if she'd spoken to them beforehand. Otherwise she'd been like a ghost.

(And it turned out that while she had read ahead about some first year spells it was a house elf she had to thank for, firstly – helping her escape, and secondly – levitating her trunk. Really was a curious thing that the Prince's never kept house elves but Severus then remembered something he'd read once; _"Many animals and creatures - magical and non-magical alike - tend to have aversions to creatures of the dark sort…"_)

After that he'd gone to bed, his thoughts on his youngest cousin's paternal family.

He'd very much like to meet them.

And show them just what happened when they turned against his kin.

**A/N: Very interested in what you would think about implied cousincest in later chaps. It would be platonic, het, and not between first cousins - which is what Sirius/Bella Blackcest is. **

**I suppose the characters should be a bit more developed before I ask any opinions of that tho (but I dont want those who've enjoyed the fic so far to stop reading because of an unexpected, unwelcome twist later on). So please ****keep ****the former point in mind if you a. review and b. oppose the idea. **


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